Last Line of Defense

The recent Temple win prompts me to think in terms of 'gametime' terminology this morning. Looking back from Old to New Testament, I can see an exciting game with an even more exciting score!

Half Time- Winning & Following God's Commands

16 The LORD your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. 17 You have declared this day that the LORD is your God and that you will walk in his ways, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws, and that you will obey him. 18 And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. 19 He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised. -Deuteronomy 26:16-19

The rules seem so easy- just follow the decrees and laws, obey them... and He will set you in praise, fame and honor. So, we can carefully observe the laws with all our heart and all our soul, not just because, but because we are His treasured possessions. There's a beautiful reason for our goals and game performance, because He will be faithful and make us holy.

End of the Game- Tied & Falling Short

27"You will all fall away," Jesus told them, "for it is written:
" 'I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep will be scattered.'[a] 28But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee."
29Peter declared, "Even if all fall away, I will not."
30"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice[b] you yourself will disown me three times."- Mark 14:27-30

37Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
39Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
41Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer! -Mark 14-37-41


Yet a little further on in the game, we couldn't cut it. We failed to carefully observe those commands, resorting to disowning our Lord and falling asleep when need be. Perhaps that disowning for you hasn't been disowning him through words, but it might be actions that disown Him. Here there seems to be a portrayal of both sins of commission (speaking against Jesus) and omission (falling asleep). Both separate us from God, and this where we need Jesus to step in and help us out.

Overtime- The Last Line of Defense

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. —Romans 8:37

Then comes the beautiful victory, that even though we can't perfectly follow every command, we will surely miss the pass and at times fumble the ball, Jesus will come to our defense, stepping in as our own "secret weapon." We win the game, we are more than conquerors, because Jesus will help us play catch us and 'cover' for our mistakes. He'll make that overthrow into an 'alley-oop'!

*I just have to share a few fun joys this morning. The church is doing a week-long intensive theology course, and it just happens to be the week of my Spring Break. :o) What a God-incidence! I pray that God continues to guide me... and that He might enable me to listen.